This invention relates to a connector engaging structure for engaging or disengaging multi-pole female and male connectors by a small operating force produced by a pivoting action (lever action) of an operation lever and more particularly to an engaging and disengaging structure between a housing and an operation lever for use in the connector engaging structure.
FIGS. 1A, 1B show a first conventional example disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei2-123681.
A cover member 58 is set on a connector housing 50. Cam protrusions 57 of a female connector 56 provided under the cover member 58 are inserted into each of notches 52a of a fixing member 52 and each of cam grooves 51b of a movable member 51. When the cam protrusions 57 move along the cam grooves 51b, the cover member 58 moves toward the fixing member 52. When an operation lever 54 is turned downward, the movable member 51 is moved horizontally and at the same time, the cover member 58 and the female connector 56 are moved downward toward the fixing member 52, so that a multi-pole connector (not shown) of the male connector in the connector housing 50 is mutually fitted to a multi-pole connector (not shown) of the female connector 56 of the cover member 58. As shown in FIG. 1B, when the pivoting of the operation lever 54 is finished, each of engaging convex portions 54b of a U-shaped front end portion 54a of the operation lever 54 and each of engaging protrusions 59 of the cover member 58 are engaged with each other.
When the multi-pole connectors of the male connector and the female connector 56 are separated from each other, while bringing up the cover member 58, the U-shaped front end portion 54a of the operation lever 54 is pressed toward a proximal end of the operation lever 54, so that this portion is elastically deformed. As a result, the locking condition between each of engaging convex portions 54b of the U-shaped front end portion 54a of the operation lever 54 and each of engaging protrusions 59 of the cover member 58 is released so that the multi-pole connectors of the male connector and the female connector 56 are separated from each other.
FIGS. 2A, 2B show a second conventional example disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei6-48182.
When a male connector 60 is inserted into a hood portion 64a of a female connector 64 and then an operation lever 66 is turned downward, each of cam receiving pins 61 of the male connector 60 moves along a cam groove 67 of the operation lever 66 so that the multi-pole connector of the male connector 60 and the multi-pole connector of the female connector 64 are mutually engaged with each other. Hook portions 63a of an engaging pawl 63 of the male connector 60 are fitted to an inclining portion 68a of an engaging portion 68 of the operation lever 66 so that the fitting condition between both the connectors 60, 64 is maintained.
When the fitting condition between both the connectors 60 and 64 is released, as shown by an arrow of FIG. 2B, a finger hook portion 63b of the engaging pawl 63 is pressed downward so that an elastic leg portion 62 is elastically deformed. As a result, the engaging pawl 63 is deformed so as to retreat from the inclining portion 68a of the engaging portion 68 so that the engaging condition between the engaging pawl 63 and the inclining portion 68a is released. Consequently, the multi-pole connectors of the male connector 60 and the female connector 64 are separated from each other.
FIGS. 3A, 3B show a third conventional example disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei4-29179.
When an operation lever 75 supported pivotably by a female connector 73 is turned toward a male connector 70, each of cam receiving pins 71 of the male connector 70 moves along each of eccentric cam grooves 76 of the operation lever 75 so that a multi-pole connector of the male connector 70 and the multi-pole connector 73 of the female connector 73 are mutually fitted to each other. As shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, a fitting condition:between the connectors 70 and 73 is attained when an engaging:hole 77 of the operation lever 75 surpasses an engaging protrusion 72 of the male connector 70 and then is fixed by the engaging protrusion 72.
When the fitting condition between both the connectors 70 and 73 is released, both side portions 75a, 75a of the operation lever 75 are opened using a jig or the like so as to release the engaging condition between the engaging protrusion 72 and the engaging hole 77. As a result, the multi-pole connectors of the male connector 70 and the female connector 73 are separated from each other.
However, the aforementioned conventional examples have the following problems.
In the first conventional example shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, a locking structure containing the operation lever 54 and engaging protrusion 59 is complicated. The front end portion 54a and the like of the operation lever 54 having the engaging convex portion 54b are easy to break. Further, only by pressing the front end portion 54a of the operation lever 54 toward the proximal And of the operation lever 54 so that it is elastically deformed, the locking condition between the engaging convex portion 54b of the operation lever 54 and the engaging protrusion 59 of the cover member 58 is easily released. Thus, possibly the locking of the both members may be released unexpectedly.
In the second conventional example shown as FIGS. 2A, 2B, the locking structure between the engaging pawl 63 of the male connector 60 and the engaging portion 68 of the operation lever 66 is complicated. Further the hook portion 63a of the engaging pawl 63 and the inclining portion 68a and the like of the engaging portion 68 of the operation lever 66 are easy to break. Further, only by pressing the finger hook portion 63b of the engaging pawl 63 downward so as to elastically deform the elastic leg portion 62, the locking condition between the hook portion 63a of the engaging portion 63 and the inclining portion 68a of the engaging portion 68 is easily released. Thus, possibly the locking condition of the both members may be released unexpectedly.
In the third conventional example shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, the jig or the like must be used for releasing the locking condition between the engaging protrusion 72 and the engaging hole 77. Thus, the unlocking operation is very complicated, so that a special skill is needed for this procedure.